Just an update on the problem we've all had with headlights that are etched by the elements so they aren't crystal clear anymore. I had a go at restoring mine, and it worked great! To see if your headlights are etched on the outside or fogged on the inside, wipe some light oil like WD-40 on the outside. If the fogging goes away, you've got exterior etching that can be repaired. I started by removing the light from the car and wet-sanding with 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Spray water on the lens occasionally- it will help keep the paper clear and prevent debris from scratching the lens. Once the lens had a uniform cloudy appearance, I switched to white jewelers rouge compound on a buffing wheel. This really reduced the amount of manual labor and at the end the lens was really looking a lot better. The final step was Turtle Wax polishing compound- applied wet by hand. The headlight looks like new now. I no longer need to think about replacing the lights! I saw today that the auto parts store has a dedicated headlight renewal kit for $15. It has 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit abrasive paper (hard to find) and polishing compound. Probably works just as well if you don't have a buffing wheel.
Yup, I've heard good results with going through with that process. You have any pics of the new headlights?
Here is a picture. Essentially, the lights look like new now. I didn't take a picture of the before, but it was etched enough to be noticable from 20' in front of the car (only one side was etched. I assume the previous owner parked the car in the same place where the sun could hit just that one side.)
